Texting and Driving | A Common Malpractice
Studies have found that dialing or answering the phones while driving, distracts the driver and may lead to the cause of an accident while others have found that the actual act of talking over the phone is the main culprit, especially if emotions are involved. A number of states have outlawed handheld cell phone use while driving while some towns and cities have banned certain types of usage over the cell phone while driving.
In the state of Texas, the usage of electronic devices for portable wireless communications for reading, writing or sending electronic messages while operating a motor vehicle unless the vehicle has been stopped has been prohibited starting September, 1st, 2017 and failure to cope, the driver will be charged with a misdemeanor with penalties up to $200 in fines. However, if a driver commits an unlawful wireless device offense that leads to death or serious bodily injury of another person, it will be considered as a class A Misdemeanor with a penalty of $4,000 in fines and a maximum of 1 year in jail.